CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
CHAP.
1 - Of following Christ and despising all the vanities of the world 1
2 - Of having an humble sentiment of one's self 4
3 - Of the doctrine of truth 7
4 - Of prudence in our doings 12
5 - Of the reading the holy scriptures 14
6 - Of inordinate affections 16
7 - Of flying vain hope and pride 18
8 - Of shunning too much familiarity 21
9 - Of obedience and subjection 23
10 - Of avoiding superfluity of words 26
11 - Of acquiring peace & zeal of spiritual progress 26
12 - Of the advantage of adversity 33
13 - Of resisting temptation 35
14 - Of avoiding rash judgment 40
15 - Of works done out of charity 42
16 - Of bearing the defects of others 45
17 - Of a monastic life 48
18 - Of the examples of the holy fathers 51
19 - Of the exercises of a good religious man 65
20 - Of the love of solitude and silence. 66
21 - Of compunction of heart 65
22 - Of the consideration of the misery of man 69
23 - Of the thoughts of death 74
24 - Of Judgment and the punishment of sins 80
25 - Of the fervent amendment of our whole life 86
BOOK II.
1 - Of interior conversation 95
2 - Of humble submission 102
3 - Of a good peaceable man 104
4 - Of a pure mind and simple intention 110
5 - Of the consideration of one's self 111
6 - Of the joy of a good conscience 114
7 - Of the love of Jesus above all things 118
8 - Of familiar friendship with Jesus 121
9 - Of the want of all comfort 126
10 - Of gratitude for the grace of God 132
11 - of the small number of the lovers of the cross of Jesus 136
12 - Of the King's highway of the Holy Cross 140
BOOK III.
1 - Of the internal speech of Christ to a faithful soul 152
2 - That truth speaks within us without the noise of words 153
3 - That the words of God are to be heard with humility, and that many weigh them not 156
A prayer to implore the grace of devotion 159
4 - That we ought to walk in truth and humility in God's presence 162
5 - Of the wonderful effect of divine love 166
6 - Of the proof of a true lover 173
7 - That grace is to be hid, under the guardianship of humility 178
8 - Of acknowledging our unworthiness in the sight of God 184
9 - That all things are to be referred to God, as to our last end 188
10 - That it is sweet to serve God, despising this world 190
11 - That the desires of our heart, are to be examined and moderated 195
12 - Of learning patience and of fighting against concupiscence 198
13 - of the obedience of an humble subject, after the example of Jesus Christ 201
14 - Of considering the secret judgments of God, lest we be puffed up by our good works 205
15 - How we are to be disposed, and what we are to say, when we desire any thing 208
A prayer for fulfilling the will of God 209
16 - That true comfort is to be sought in God alone 212
17 - That we ought to cast all our care upon God. 215
18 - That temporal miseries are to be borne with patience, after the example of Jesus Christ 217
19 - Of bearing injuries, and who is proved to be truly patient 221
20 - Of the confession of our own infirmity, and of the miseries of this life 224
21 - That we are to rest in God above all goods and gifts 228
22 - Of the remembrance of the manifold benefits of God 234
23 - Of four things which bring much peace 238
A prayer against evil thoughts 239
A prayer for the enlightening of the mind 239
24 - That we are not to be curious in inquiring into the lives of others 242
23 - In what things the firm peace of the heart and true progress doth consist 244
26 - Of the eminence of a free mind, which humble prayer procures better than reading 247
27 - That self-love chiefly keeps a person back from the sovereign Good 251
A prayer for the cleansing of the heart, and the obtaining of heavenly wisdom 252
28 - Against the tongues of detractors 255
29 - How in the time of tribulation God is to be invoked and blessed 257
30 - Of asking the divine assistance, and of confidence of recovering grace 260
31 - Of disregarding all things created, that so we may find the Creator 265
32 - Of denying ourselves, and renouncing cupidity 269
33 - Of the inconstancy of our heart, and of directing our intention to God 273
34 - That he that loves God relishes him above all things, and in all things 276
35 - That mere is no being secure from temptation in this life 279
36 - Against the vain judgments of men 283
37 - Of a pure and full resignation of ourselves for the obtaining freedom of heart 286
38 - Of the good government of ourselves in outward things, and of having recourse to God in dangers 289
39 - That a man must not be over eager in his affairs 292
40 - That a man hath no good of himself, and that he cannot glory in anything 294
41 - Of the contempt of all temporal honour 298
42 - That our peace is not to be placed in men 301
43 - Against vain and worldly learning 304
44 - Of not drawing to ourselves exterior things 307
45 - That credit is not to be given to all men ; and that men are prone to offend in words 310
46 - Of having confidence in God, when words arise against us 314
47 - That all grievous things are to be endured for life everlasting 319
48 - Of the dav of eternity, and of the miseries of this life 322
49 - Of the desire of eternal life, and how great things are promised to them that fight 328
50 - How a desolate person ought to oft'er himself into the hands of God 334
51 - That we must exercise ourselves in humble works, when we cannot attain to high things 341
52 - That a man ought not to esteem himself worthy of consolation, but rather deserving of stripes 344
53 - That the grace of God is not communicated to the earthly-minded 348
54 - Of the different motions of nature and grace. 352
55 - Of the corruption of nature, and of the efficacy of divine grace 360
56 - That we ought to deny ourselves and to imitate Christ by the cross 365
57 - That a man should not be too much dejected when he falls into some defects 370
58 - Of not searching into high matters, nor into the secret judgments of God 374
59 - That all hope and confidence is to be fixed in God alone 381
BOOK IV.
OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.
1 - With how great reverence Christ is to be received 387
2 - That the gTeat goodness and charity of God is shewn to man in this sacrament 397
3 - That it is profitable to communicate often 404
4 - That many benefits are bestowed on them who communicate devoutly 410
5 - Of the dignity of the sacrament, and of the priestly state 415
6 - A petition concerning the exercise before communion 424
7 - Of the examination of one's own conscience, and of a resolution of amendment 426
8 - Of the oblation of Christ on the cross, and of the resignation of ourselves 432
9 - That we must offer ourselves, and all that is oars to God, and pray for all 435
10 - That the holy communion is not lightly to be forborne 439
11 - That the holy body of Christ and the holy scripture are most necessary to a faithful soul 446
12 - That he who is to communicate ought to prepare himself for Christ with great diligence 453
13 - That a devout soul ought to desire with her whole heart to be united to Christ in the sacrament 458
14 - Of the ardent desire of some devout persons to receive the body of Christ 465
15 - That the grace of devotion is obtained by humility and self-denial 469
16 - That we ought to lay open our necessities to Christ, and crave his grace 474
17 - Of a fervent love and vehement desire to receive Christ 480
18 - That a man be not a curious searcher into this sacrament, but an humble follower of Christ, submitting his sense to holy faith 483

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